1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system, a server, an image processing apparatus, a management method, a computer program, and a storage medium, the system including the server, a plurality of image processing apparatuses, and a terminal apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network.
2. Related Art
In printers and other known image processing apparatuses a reduction in image quality levels occurs when jobs are executed continuously under fixed control conditions. Variations in internal temperature and wear and tear on the photosensitive drum and other structural elements, for example, result in the image density and image positioning relating to an executed jobs failing to meet target control values, and the quality level of processed images (hereafter “image quality level”) suffers as a result. In order to counter this deterioration in the image quality level, image quality stabilization processing is conducted in known image processing apparatuses to fine tune the control conditions in accordance with the existing environment of the apparatus.
In the image quality stabilization processing, control variables that affect image quality in the image processing apparatus are determined. If the image processing apparatus is a printer or similar image forming apparatus, for example, tests are conducted to detect the density of a plurality of toner patterns of differing densities formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum as part of the test process, and the optimal adjustment values for control variables such as the developing bias voltage of the developing unit and the grid voltage of the charging unit are determined based on the test results. Other control variables affecting image quality include heater output and the oil supply levels of the heat fixing unit.
If the image processing apparatus is a scanner or similar image reading apparatus, on the other hand, control variables include the exposure voltage applied to the exposure lamp.
Frequent execution of the image quality stabilization processing in a printer, for example, means that the developing bias voltage and other control variables are maintained at or near their optimal performance values, and a high image quality of print output can be achieved as a result. However, one of the disadvantages of frequent execution of the stabilization processing is the fact that jobs cannot be processed while the stabilization processing is being executed. Inconvenience results for the user in terms of waiting time.
In known image processing apparatuses this problem has been tackled, for example, by only executing the image quality stabilization processing after predetermined time periods so as to maintain a certain level image quality without compromising print output efficiency. By conducting the stabilization processing in this way, the achievable image quality of print output gradually deteriorates due to changes in internal temperature and other control variables, until the stabilization processing is once again conducted after the predetermined time period, at which point the image quality is returned to a high level. By repeating this cycle it is thus possible to maintain the image quality at a regular level or better over the long run.
Recent years have seen an increase in the number of business offices employing image processing systems in which printers and other image processing apparatuses capable of executing image quality stabilization processing are connected via a local area network (LAN) or similar network.
However, the fact is that users of such a system are not guaranteed a high image quality of print output despite the inclusion in the system of image forming apparatuses capable of executing the image quality stabilization processing.
For example, in the case of a known image processing system employing printers, each printer controls the execution of its own stabilization processing, which means that the user cannot know which printer has executed the stabilization processing and when. In this system the user has little choice but to choose, for example, the printer positioned closest as the printer to execute a print job. If the chosen printer happens to have just completed executing the stabilization processing, then a comparatively high quality of print output will be achieved. However, if a long time period has elapsed since the stabilization processing was last executed, the image quality of print output will be reduced in comparison to the printer that has just completed the stabilization processing. This known image processing system is thus unable to guarantee that print jobs will be executed by a printer capable of producing print output of a satisfactory image quality.
Of course, this problem relates not only to such image forming apparatuses as printers but also to image reading apparatuses such as scanners or any other image processing apparatuses that executes image quality stabilization processing.